Expression analysis of cellulose synthase and main cytoskeletal protein genes in flax (Linum usitatissimum L.)

Abstract

Fiber flax is an important source of natural fiber and a comprehensive model for the plant fiber biogenesis studies. Cellulose-synthase (CesA) and cytoskeletal genes are known to be important for the cell wall biogenesis in general and for the biogenesis of flax fibers in particular. Currently, knowledge about activity of these genes during the plant growth is limited. In this study, we have investigated flax fiber biogenesis by measuring expression of CesA and cytoskeletal genes at two stages of the flax development (seedlings and stems at the rapid growth stage) in several flax subspecies (elongatum, mediterraneum, crepitans). RT-qPCR has been used to quantify the expression of LusСesA1, LusСesA4, LusСesA7, LusСesA6, Actin, and α-Tubulin genes in plant samples. We report that CesA genes responsible for the secondary cell wall synthesis (LusCesA4, LusCesA7) have different expression pattern compared with CesA genes responsible for the primary cell wall synthesis (LusCesA1, LusCesA6): an average expression of LusCesA4 and LusCesA7 genes is relatively high in seedlings and further increases in stems at the rapid growth stage, whereas an average expression of LusCesA1 and LusCesA6 genes decreases. Interestingly, LusCesA1 is the only studied gene with different expression dynamics between the flax subspecies: its expression decreases by 5.2-10.7 folds in elongatum and mediterraneum but does not change in crepitans subspecies when the rapid growth stage and seedlings are compared. The expression of cytoskeleton genes (coding actin and α-tubulin) is relatively stable and significantly higher than the expression of cellulose-synthase genes in all the studied samples.

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis Identifies Key Cellulose Synthase Genes (CESA) and Cellulose Synthase-Like Genes (CSL) in Bast Fiber Development Stage of Flax (Linum Usitatissimum L.)

“…High expression levels of CESA genes observed in fast-growing tissues of L.usitatissimum indicate that they are particularly important for this ber crop [25,26]. Currently, 16 ax cellulose synthase genes have been identi ed based on their homology to orthologous [26][27][28][29]. Two genes, LusCESA7 and LusCESA9, were speci c to the stems of ber ax during the "rapid growth" stage [30].…”

A Journey Through Plant Cytoskeleton: Hot Spots in Signaling and Functioning

“…As fiber flax is an important source of natural fiber, the expression of genes involved in the cellulose fibril’s deposition in seedlings and stems of different flax subspecies ( elongatum , mediterraneum , crepitans ) was studied by Galinousky et al (). It was found that expression levels of genes responsible for the synthesis of the secondary cell wall ( CesA4 and CesA7 ) are significantly higher than of primary cell wall genes ( CesA1 and CesA9 ) in all the samples studied.…”

A journey through a plant cytoskeleton: Hot spots in signaling and functioning

“…As fiber flax is an important source of natural fiber, the expression of genes involved in the cellulose fibril's deposition in seedlings and stems of different flax subspecies ( elongatum , mediterraneum , and crepitans ) was studied by Galinousky et al (). It was found that expression levels of genes responsible for the synthesis of the secondary cell wall ( CesA4 and CesA7 ) are significantly higher than of primary cell wall genes ( CesA1 and CesA9 ) in all the samples studied.…”